Disappearing table attachment for beds.



C. A. PERTSCH. DISAPPEARING TABLE ATTACHMENT FOR BEDS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 191-4.

Lwm ngw Y I Patented July 17; 1917.

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' cnannns A. PERTSCH, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND;

DISAPPEARING- lABLE ATTACHMENT FOR BEDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 17, 1917.

Application filed June 12, 1914. Serial No. 844,761.

To all whom it mar concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. PER'rsoH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the county of Baltimore City,

State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 1n Disappearing Table Attachments for Beds; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. r V

This invention relates to devices for the use of invalids and convalescents, particularly to a table attachment for beds, and has for its object the provision of a novel Vertically adjustable table which may be moved to extend over the bed for use and which may be moved downwardly and swung under the bed to be entirely concealeol from view.

' An important object is the provisionof a device of this character provided with novel means whereby it may be clamped upon a bed rail of any cross section, the clamp being deformable to adapt itself to different contours.

Another object is the provision of a device of this character which will be neat in appearance, simple and inexpensive in manufacture, eflicient and durable in use and a general improvement of the art.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the course of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying illustrative drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view through a fragment of a bed showing my device applied to the rail thereof and extending over the bed for use as a table.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the device in section and shown under the bed,

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view through the device above the bed rail, and

Fig. 4c is a detail view of the clamp de tached, showing it deformed.

Referring more particularly tothe drawing, the numeral 5 designates a side rail of a bed which in the present instance is shown as being L-shaped in cross section, this being a common form.

My device is adapted to be secured upon the rail 5 and comprises a tray 6 rigidly secured at one end upon a horizontally extending arm 7 formed on a vertical rod 8. The rod 8 is disposed within a tubular sleeve 9 and may be clamped at any desired posi tion in relation thereto by a clamping screw 10 extending through the sleeve 9 and engaging the rod 8. At its lower end the sleeve 9 extends through an opening 11 formed in a horizontally disposed arm 12 forming part of an L-shaped bracket 13 and is clamped in vertically adjusted positions relatively thereto by a clamping screw 1 1 passing through the arm 12 and engaging the sleeve 9. The bracket 13 further co1nprises a vertically extending arm 15 provided with acentral opening 16..

In order that the parts just described may be secured upon the rail 5, I provide a novel clamp designated as a whole by the numeral 17 and comprising a base plate 18 having link sections hinged thereto as shown at 1.9 and designated as a whole by the numerals 20 and 21. Each of the link sections 20 and 21 are hingedly connected With a plurality of similar sections 22 hingedly secured to each other and the ends of said link sections are connected together by means of the pins as shown at 23, the link sections tightly engaging the pins so that some efiort must be expended to move said sections on their pivotal connections. The uppermost section 22 of the link section 20 is provided with a screw threaded extension 24 adapted to be engaged within an opening 25 formed in the uppermost section 22 of the link section 21 and to be secured therein by a clamping nut 26. Secured upon the base section 18 is adownwardly extending trunnion 27 which extends through the opening 16 in the arm 15 of the bracket 13 and is prevented from withdrawal therefrom by a collar 28.

My device is attached to the bed rail by positioning the clamp 17 upon the rail 5 with the link sections 20 and 21 encircling the rail and as the link sections are almost rigidly connected they will snugly fit around the said rail. By virtue of the fact that the link sections 20 and 21 are formed of a plurality of hinged sections, the link sections will conform to whatever cross section the rail may be, as will be obvious. The extension 24 is then passed through the opening 25 and the nut 26 is screwed upon the extension to clamp the link sections upon the rail. The bracket 13 will then be supported securely. By loosening the clamping screw 14:, the sleeve 9 may be moved upwardly through the arm 12 to as great a height as necessary after which the screw 14 is again tightened. By loosening the clamping screw the rod 8 may be moved vertically to bring the tray 6 at the properheight, after which the screw 10 is tightened.

hen thetray 6 is at the proper height,

and disposed over the bed it forms a suitable table for supporting dishes', etc, while the a is loosened and the'sleeve 9 lowered through the opening 11 in the arm 12 until the tray is-suificiently low that it may pass under' the bed. Byvirtue of the revolubility of the bracket 13 upon the trunnion 27, the entire device may be swung to a position with the tray 6 'disposedout of view and below the bed rail as clearly shown in Fig. 2. i

From the foregoing description and a study of the'drawing,it will be apparent that-1" havethus provided a novel and eliicient table attachment for beds'whi'ch' may be quickly and easily swung over the bed to serve as a table and which may be readily lowered and swung under the bed to be entirely out; of the Way.

It will be readily understood that I reserve the right to make various changes in the for1n,constructi0n and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or limiting the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In a table attachment for beds a clamping member consisting of a series of hingedly connectedsections, means detachably connecting" the end sections of the clamp, a trunnion" fixed to and extending at g'les from one of the intermediate sections, a bracket arm provided atone end with a transverse bearing rotatably receiving the trunnion, and a tray adjustably supported at" the opposite end of said arm.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES A. PERTSCH.

Witnesses Davin H. Lncoirnsi, J11, ADoLrHUs C. ROHTER.

Gopies clf this patent may be obtained for five-cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

WashingtonyDl 6.

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